If you are thinking of getting a new video doorbell but are confused about which one to buy, then look no further. Here are the Zmodo Greet HD and the Nest Hello, two feature-packed video doorbells. In this review, we’ll compare the Zmodo Greet HD and Nest Hello doorbell to help you come to a decision and make your homes safer.
Both the doorbells offer some great features and increase the security of our homes. But the Nest Hello provides some features that are not present on the Zmodo Greet HD. The camera of Hello has an HDR mode as well, which helps in bright and dark areas. It is expensive, though. So if you think that you can spill out some extra cash, then definitely go for the Nest Hello.
The Zmodo Greet has a 1080p HD camera that offers videos up to 20 frames per second and 4x digital zoom. The Nest Hello, on the other hand, has a 3 Megapixel camera with 8x digital zoom, which offers a 2K resolution of 1600 x 1200. It also has a high dynamic range or HDR, which makes sure that the video quality is evident even in bright or dark conditions. Both devices have infrared night vision up to 10ft, which works fine.
So it’s clear that the Nest Hello will deliver better image and video quality at every point of the day. It also supports facial recognition, which is absent on the Zmodo Greet. The Nest Hello takes the win in this segment.
2. Motion Sensing And Personal Alerts
Both the devices come with motion sensing and start recording whenever they detect any movement around. The Nest offers much more control over the alerts that you get on your smartphone. The facial recognition feature also works pretty well and saves the faces of people with time. So whenever that person arrives at the front door, it will say their name instead of just saying that someone’s there. There’s also a custom motion zones feature, which lets you select a zone for the bell to detect any motion. It starts recording as soon as it detects any movement. Note that some of these features are available only with a Nest Aware subscription.
Sadly, the Zmodo Greet doesn’t have a facial recognition feature, but it still allows you to select custom zones if you upgrade to the premium or platinum plan.
So it seems that you need a subscription of either of the doorbell to enjoy their premium features. But Nest Hello provides some sweet features which are not available on the Greet even if you upgrade. So the Hello gets the win, again.
3. Storage
You must be wondering where the recordings will be saved, and you’ll be pleased to know that the Zmodo Greet HD comes with 8GB of inbuilt storage, where all the records are kept for 12 hours, which is excellent. The Nest Hello, on the other hand, doesn’t come with any inbuilt storage, so you will have to get a subscription to access all the recordings. The monthly or yearly fee is not that high, but getting some storage is still better than none at all.
However, if you need to access the recordings on the Greet after 36 hours, then you will have to buy a premium or platinum subscription.
So having onboard storage gives you a bit off advantage. Therefore the Zmodo Greet takes the win.
4. Prerecorded Voice Messages
Both the doorbells offer prerecorded voice messages, but the Zmodo Greet is better in this case.
Nest Hello comes with three prerecorded messages that can be played whenever someone arrives at the front door. They are ‘You can leave it there’, ‘We will be right there’ and ‘No one can answer the door right now’.
Zmodo Greet offers more freedom when it comes to voice messages. There are five slots to make custom messages for the bell to play. Even if you record that I am sleeping and don’t want to open the door, it will play it. So the voice messages feature on Zmodo Greet is fun and gives you five slots, which are enough to provide to have an upper hand the Hello.
5. Connectivity
The Nest Hello comes with a dual-band service. It supports 2.4GHz as well as 5GHz networks giving it better connectivity and faster loading speeds. The Zmodo Greet HD, unfortunately, supports only 2.4 GHz networks.
The dual-band service makes the Hello a bit future proof with newer technology, which helps it get the win over the Greet.
Both the doorbells are equipped with high-quality speakers and microphones that help in communicating the person that is standing at your front door. This is a great feature to let the delivery people know that you are coming or to warn off potential package thieves.
This feature works even if you are not at home, and you can let someone know when you’ll be back.
2. Google Assistant And Amazon Alexa compatible
Having a smart wifi doorbell has its perks, and one of them is that you can connect these bells with your google home system or with Amazon Alexa. So whenever you get any notifications from your doorbell, the assistant or Alexa will announce it on your smart devices. Pretty cool, isn’t it?
3. Power Options
Another similarity between the two products is that both of them are connected to your homes through the traditional wiring of your doorbell. None of them are battery operated. Being hard wired makes the bells a little theft-proof as they are put in place with the help of screws.
Features And Technical Specifications of Zmodo Greet HD
The Zmodo Greet Hd is a pretty small device that can easily squeeze into small spaces. It can even fit on the threshold of your front door. It 4.92 inches tall, 2.36 inches wide, and 0.98 inches wide. The doorbell comes in a half black half grey color. The upper black portion consists of a 1080p HD camera and the motion, which confuses everyone as the camera. The lower grey area includes the ring button.
The doorbell is hardwired into your existing doorbell system as it is not battery operated. It’s a one-time hassle as you won’t have to change the batteries time after time.
Camera quality
The Zmodo Greet HD comes with a 1080p HD camera that can record videos up to 20 frames per second. It has a 120-degree horizontal field of view, which is decent to capture the entire front area of your house.
The video quality is excellent, as it is full HD resolution. The doorbell also comes with night-vision up to 10 feet, which works great during the night.
Motion Detection
Motion Detection is pretty good on this doorbell. Whenever there’s some movement near your porch, the Zmodo Greet notices it and starts recording. The 10 seconds are saved on the inbuilt storage, which you can watch at any time for three days. The Motion Detection starts recording even before someone rings the bell, but still, there’s a noticeable lag before it starts the recording.
If you want to set custom zones for motion detection, you can do that too. But that feature is only available if you upgrade to Zmodo’s premium or platinum plan.
Storage Options
One of the best features of this doorbell is 8GB inbuilt storage. Most of the other doorbells, including the Nest Hello, requires a paid subscription before saving anything. So having some onboard storage is excellent for keeping those motion detection videos.
Upgrading to a premium or platinum plan gives you some extra features such as smarter and more accurate alerts, Flashback features, and customized motion detection.
Two-way communication
Another unique feature that the Zmodo Greet has is the Two-way communication, which means that you can talk to a person who’s outside your house through the doorbell. It comes with a high-quality speaker and microphone. Whenever a person rings the doorbell, you will get a call on your smartphone. You can accept the request and talk to that person, reject or send a prerecorded voice message.
The Zmodo Greet comes with an option to set 5 prerecorded messages that can be played through the speaker of the doorbell. That feature comes in handy when you’re not home or in a meeting.
Features And Technical Specifications Of Nest Hello
Design and Appearance
The Nest Hello is also a small and minimal smart doorbell. It is lower than the previous Nest doorbells. It is 4.6 inches tall, 1.7 inches wide, and 1.0 inches deep. The bell comes in black with silver accents around the body and a blue ring around the ring button. It’s a bit smaller in height than the Zmodo Greet, making it even more compact.
The Nest Hello, just like the Greet, is also hardwired into your existing doorbell setup, which means that this one is also not battery operated. If your house doesn’t have existing wiring, then you can also get an adapter from Nest’s store.
Camera Quality
The Nest Hello comes with a 3 Megapixel (2K) color sensor with 8x digital zoom. It can shoot Hd UXGA (1600 x 12000) videos with up to 30 frames per second. Hello also comes with a 160-degree diagonal field of view, which gives excellent viewing angles, and you can see a person from head to toe.
The video quality looks great on the Hello with its 2K resolution. The high dynamic range helps in bright and dark conditions to focus on the person. It also comes with night vision up to 10 feet, which works just fine.
Advanced Motion detection and Facial Recognition
The Nest Hello supports another great feature, which is facial recognition. It saves familiar faces, and you can name them in the nest home app. So next time whenever that person arrives at your front door, it will say their name rather than saying that ‘someone’s on the door’.
Hello comes with advanced motion detection, which starts recording as soon it notices any movement in the area. It also supports sound detection, so if it hears anything too, it will start recording.
Some of these features are not available on the Zmodo Greet.
Storage Options
Storage is one area where the Nest Hello didn’t impress me at all. It doesn’t come with any inbuilt storage, so you will have to buy a subscription before watching your first recording.
Two-way Communication
Nest Hello also comes with two-way communication through its speaker and microphone. You can answer the door from anywhere in the world, and it works great.
The Hello also comes with three prerecorded voice messages, but here you can customize them. Nest says that that feature will be available in the future. Let’s see
Easy To Use App And Nest Ecosystem
The nest app is much better than Zmodo’s home app. Nest home gives better control and is very easy to use. If you already own any other Nest home devices, then you can pair the doorbell with all of them, and they all will sync with each other.
It also works with Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa so you can talk to the person outside through your smart tv as well.
The Zmodo Greet box contains the doorbell along with a screwdriver, release tool, wall anchors, some screws, and a quick start guide.
Nest Hello
The Nest Hello box
15-degree wedge,
Drill bit
Window Decals
Tools For installation
quick start guide
Installing these doorbells is simple and straightforward. Watch the videos on their website, or you can also call the Zmodo or Nest professionals for installation.
The Zmodo Greet HD is easy to use and a budget-friendly smart doorbell that offers all the basic features of a smart doorbell. The camera provides proper quality HD video surveillance, and there’s also inbuilt storage, which is a plus. There are also two subscription plans that you can choose to get some extra features and more room. However, there are some areas where the Greet doesn’t offer much functionality. If you like Zmodo, You should also check out, How Zmodo is different from Ring 2. Let’s Talk about the pros and cons.
Things We Like
Cheaper than the Nest hello
Good quality video recording and also night vision.
Alexa and Google Assitant compatible.
Inbuilt storage
Inbuilt storage
Two-way communication
Things We Don't Like
Slow-motion detection
The app interface isn’t that good and takes a lot of time to load
Hardwiredwired only, no adapter support
No HDR
Overview Of Nest Hello
The Nest Hello packs some great features and offers a better camera and video recording. The doorbell also provides 24/7 video surveillance and works as a security camera, but that feature is only available with a Nest Aware subscription. If you do get the subscription, you get some extra features that improve your experience. But even without paying extra, you still get some great features and a 2K camera with HDR.
Things We Like
2K quality video up to 30 fps
HDR-enabled
Two-way communication
Package tracking and pick up alerts
Package tracking and pick up alerts
Facial recognition and advanced motion sensing
Alexa and Google Assistant compatible
Things We Don't Like
No inbuilt storage
Hard-wired only but comes with adapter support.
FAQs
1. Can I use mobile data to access the doorbells?
The doorbells must be connected to the home wifi network, and after that, you can access it from a smartphone even with the mobile data.
2. Can the doorbells also click pictures of the people outside?
Yes, they can. If the motion sensors notice anything, the app gives you an option to click pictures as well.
Bottom Line
Smart doorbells give us better security and surveillance over our homes. Both these doorbells offer great specs and have some advantages over one another. But I guess now you know which one is the winner. Even though Nest Hello is expensive, it offers features that are worth the money. But if you don’t want to spend so much on a doorbell and want something that gets the job done, then the Zmodo Greet HD is the way to go. We hope you found this review useful.
Andrea is a Senior Content Editor who digs into the very minuscule details to give her readers the best hands-on experience of the products. She brings her years of research and engineering experience to help us consistently create immaculate engaging content and products that hold the highest technical integrity.
Leave a Reply